This invention generally pertains to surgical instruments, and more particularly to catheters and surgical tissue clamps.
A typical cannula smoothly introduces a long catheter into a body cavity. The cannula is initially placed within the body and then the catheter is pushed through the cannula. The catheter is extended past the distal end of the cannula and guided further into the body to the desired location. An example of such a location is the cystic duct residing just below the gall-bladder.
Guiding a flexible catheter within the body can be a time-consuming and frustrating procedure. A wire guide has been used inside the catheter to guide the catheter into position. Such guides are useful for deep penetrations into the body; however, their use may be inefficient in comparatively shallow surgeries. Comparatively shallow surgeries allow the catheter to be positioned without the additional time required to use a wire guide. Although, without the guide, sinuously routing a flexible catheter into place may increase frustration while simultaneously shortening the time required for the surgery.
What is needed is a method and device to cannularize and further guide a catheter into position without using a device that routinely requires removal during surgery. Such a device would shorten the time required to use a catheter by avoiding time necessary to use and remove an internal wire guide.
Other problems associated with catheterizations include the radiopaque nature of most surgical tools. Should X-rays be involved in the operation, often surgical tools block critical areas of tissue from view. Accordingly, what is also needed is a device that guides the catheter into place which is also radiolucent.
Associated to the aforesaid obstruction problem are clamps used in conjunction with particular catheterizations. In conventional procedures, the clamps may obstruct the view in a radiograph.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,604 discloses a partially radiolucent clamp for use with catheters. The clamp is routinely used in transcystic duct operative cholangiography and the spring within this clamp is visible in the radiograph. The clamp consists of a pair of jaws that are positioned into place with needle nose shaped clips. The clamp works fine; however, the two-piece design requires assembly by the user before its use.
What is needed is a clamp that is easily attached and removed. The clamp must be entirely radiolucent so that no radiopaque parts need to be removed to allow roentgenographic examination.